UFC featherweight Yair Rodriguez isn't calling anyone out because he's going to fight everyone anyway

Yair Rodriguez has made serious waves in his short professional career. With five straight wins in the UFC octagon, the Mexican featherweight seems to have the whole world in front of him.

Despite having seemingly endless options for his next fight, Rodriguez (8-1 MMA, 5-0 UFC) isn’t interested in playing games outside the cage. The 23-year-old said he won’t call out any fighters, instead choosing to wait for the UFC to tell him what comes next.

“I’m just going to wait until (UFC Matchmaker) Sean Shelby tells me what’s next for me,” Rodriguez told MMAjunkie while attending UFC Fight Night 96. “I don’t like to pick my opponents. My team is talking now about who we think is going to be next. We don’t have any names. I just want to wait until they come with something.”

The UFC’s featherweight division has been in a state of turmoil for a considerable amount of time. Since Conor McGregor (20-3 MMA, 8-1 UFC) knocked out Jose Aldo (26-2 MMA, 8-1 UFC) to capture the title, he has fought Nate Diaz twice at welterweight and is now set to square off with lightweight champ Eddie Alvarez (28-4 MMA, 3-1 UFC) in the main event of UFC 205.

While UFC President Dana White previously said McGregor would vacate the featherweight title if he didn’t defend it in his next bout, the promotion is now allowing him to keep his featherweight belt until after his shot at the lightweight belt.

The decision drove Aldo to say he wants to leave the UFC and pursue interests outside of fighting.

With the chaos in his division, Rodriguez said he ignores things that are outside of his immediate future. Instead, he said, the focus is on treating every opponent like the biggest test of his career.

“I’m not (at the top of the division) yet,” Rodriguez said. “I don’t put attention on it. It doesn’t really matter until I’m there. I don’t have any problems with anyone in my division. I just want to fight my next opponent.

“My next opponent is going to be the toughest one I’ve ever fought. Every fight is going to be toughest and toughest and toughest. I’m just going to get ready for the best in the world that day. I don’t care if it’s Conor or Jose Aldo. Hopefully, the day I have to fight for the belt comes soon.”

In the end, his decision to not call out any fighters for future fights is motivated by a certainty he will eventually stand across the cage from all the best men in his weight class.

After a split-decision victory over Alex Caceres in a thrilling battle at UFC Fight Night 92, he said he’s ready for anybody.

“I’m not trying to be the nice guy,” Rodriguez said. “I don’t like to call anyone out. I’m going to fight everyone in my division eventually. That’s why I don’t call out anybody. If they want to call me out, I’m right here for you.”

Check out the full video above to hear more from Rodriguez on his career plans.

For more on the UFC’s upcoming schedule, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.